HIGHLIGHTS
Dr. Colleen Anne Dell, PhD
Professor and researcher in Sociology,
Centennial Enhancement Chair in One Health and Wellness at the University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Dell is a public sociologist and a critical interdisciplinary researcher (making linkages between disciplines) with a transdisciplinary research program (drawing on academic and non-academic knowledge and expertise).
Dr. Colleen Anne Dell is a distinguished scholar and professor at the University of Saskatchewan, renowned for her extensive research and advocacy in Indigenous health, addiction, and community wellness. With a deep commitment to addressing the complex challenges faced by Indigenous populations, Dr. Dell’s work integrates culturally grounded approaches that emphasize healing, resilience, and empowerment. She has contributed significantly to the understanding of substance use and mental health within Indigenous communities, promoting strategies that honor traditional knowledge alongside contemporary practices. Dr. Dell’s leadership extends beyond academia through her involvement in community partnerships, policy development, and mentorship, making her a pivotal figure in advancing Indigenous health equity and culturally responsive care. Her varied expertise and understanding has significantly informed her inclusive approach to research and practice with SDs and other animals.
Dr. Dell is committed to engaging with non-academic audiences and to knowledge translation and mobilization of her research findings. Today her research program is grounded in an empowering, community-based and patient-oriented participatory approach, with both human and non-human animals. Her human research centres on healing from addictions and mental health. In this work she has addressed innovative areas in problematic substance use, ranging from horse assisted therapy for youth in addictions treatment to knowledge translation efforts addressing the role of therapy dogs in hospital emergency departments, prisons, and hospice.
Dr. Colleen Dell has personally trained three full-service dogs with Audeamus, working closely alongside veterans and first responders to gain firsthand insight into the profound connection and rigorous training required for service dogs to effectively enhance the quality of life for individuals living with traumatic brain injuries such as TBI, OSI, PTSD, and potential substance use challenges. This practical experience enriches Dr. Dell’s research and expertise, elevating her credibility and deepening her understanding of the unique needs and therapeutic benefits that service dogs provide to this population. Her hands-on involvement ensures that her academic work is grounded in real-world application, making her contributions invaluable to advancing veteran and first responder care.
In her work with animals she looks at their role in human healing, and specifically the human-animal bond, including for companion animals/pets, therapy animals, service animals, and emotional support animals. Underlying her work is a belief in bringing together different ways of knowing into a shared and transformative space, with an emphasis on lived experience and Indigenous knowledge.
Based on her academic background and lived experiences and practice, she works to contribute understanding and awareness about more-than-human animals, within a holistic environment, to Sociology specifically and society generally.
Dr Colleen Dell been awarded the Queen Elizabeth Platinum medals for her work and contributions to the community and Veterans with Service Dogs.
For more information on Dr. Dell’s work, visit:
Dr. Darlene Chalmers, PhD
Dr. Darlene Chalmers is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Regina.
She holds certificates in Facilitated Equine Experiential Learning/Psychotherapy for Mental Health Professionals and in Pet Loss and Grief, and has served as a Saint John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program handler since 2014.
Since 2008, Dr. Chalmers’ research has focused on human–animal interaction and its relevance to mental health, addiction, and substance use programming. Her work includes research on military veteran health, particularly the role of psychiatric service dogs. Her research and community engagement extend to the role of therapy dogs in provincial and federal correctional institutions and addiction treatment centres, where she has co-developed and co-delivered community-based programming.
During COVID-19, this work successfully transitioned to online delivery, offering new insights into the importance of connection in human–animal relationships. The impact continues to inform policy and practice, advancing inclusive and holistic approaches to prisoner health and healing. As a Therapy Dog Program handler and member of the provincial Emergency Response Unit, Dr. Chalmers has supported communities during evacuations, disasters, and public health crises. Notably, she provided weekly therapy dog visits at a mass vaccination clinic for five months in 2020–2021. She continues to bring therapy dogs into diverse community settings, including university student visits, deepening understanding of the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and the environment in promoting health and wellbeing.
Dr. Chalmers has also personally trained two full-service dogs with Audeamus, working alongside veterans and first responders. This hands-on experience has given her invaluable insight into the profound bond and specialized training required for service dogs to support individuals living with traumatic brain injuries (TBI), operational stress injuries (OSI), PTSD, and substance use challenges. These practical experiences enrich her academic research and highlight the unique therapeutic role service dogs play in enhancing the mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing of veterans and first responders.
Dr. Linzi Williamson, PhD, CE
Dr. Williamson is an Assistant Professor in Psychology and Health Studies and Co-Director of the Pawsitive Connections Lab at the University of Saskatchewan.
She is also a Credentialed Evaluator (CE) through the Canadian Evaluation Society (CES) and Social Value Level 1 Practitioner through Social Value International.
She began working with Drs. Colleen Dell and Darlene Chalmers in 2018 to examine the effects of Service Dogs on Veterans with PTSD who problematically use substances. She then acquired 6 years of funding through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) to continue to examine topics related to service dogs and veterans. This research as been co-conducted with a committee of patient partners, including veterans, family of veterans, service dog providers, and human-animal bond experts.
Dr. Williamson has co-authored several conference presentations, posters, and peer-reviewed manuscripts resulting from her research and was a 2019 recipient of the Paul Fox Memorial Educational Fund through AUDEAMUS Service Dogs, Inc. She also received a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for Service to Saskatchewan in the field of Research and Health Care and was a CBC Saskatchewan Future 40 awardee in 2024.
Her Tedx talk, Enriching Our Pets’ Lives highlights the importance of recognizing and respecting the needs of the animals we live and work with.
To learn more about her work, visit:
Alexandria R. Pavelich, MA, PhDc
She/her - PhD Student, Research Assistant
Research Contributions:
Utilizing the data from the 2019 study, Alexandria Pavelich conducted a study examining the impact of service dogs in reducing suicidality among military Veterans. Her study found the connection Veterans had with their service dog elicited feelings of mattering, and that this was an important factor in reducing suicide risk and substance use activities.
Mattering is an important concept within the AUDEAMUS Service program that runs through the core of our program.
The full study can be found here.
Further information on Alexandria’s animal-assisted services research, and media releases around these projects, can be found here
Currently, Alexandria is competing her PhD jointly funded by Mental Health Research Canada, the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, and SSHRC to understand the impact human-animal connections have for patients presenting to an emergency department with mental health and pain related concerns. She resides in Saskatoon with her therapy dog, Zola, spending her spare time volunteering with St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program.
More about Alexandria at:
PAWSitive Supportt
She/her - PhD Student, Research Assistant
Research Contributions:
Dr. Darlene Chalmers (University of Regina) and Dr. Colleen Dell (University of Saskatchewan) with AUDEAMUS to provide a Canine Assisted Education program at two federal prairie province prisons to advance prisoner health and well-being. The program is ongoing and being evaluated.
A recent Correctional Service Canada article summarizes the program here.
Mattering
She/her - PhD Student, Research Assistant
Research Contributions:
Mattering is an important concept within the AUDEAMUS Service program that is at the core of our program.
Alexandria Pavelich, study found having a service dog elicited feelings of mattering among the Veterans, and that this was an important factor in reducing suicide risk. This is seen as an integral component of the connection approach AUDEAMUS Service Dogs “Base” approach to its programing.